BYD Unveils Pure Electric Refuse Truck for North American Market

Noisy, smelly diesel-powered refuse trucks are about to be replaced by a zero- emission pure electric refuse truck by Chinese battery and vehicle maker BYD that is now available for purchase and deployment in North America.

BYD, which has become the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles, debuted its class 8 battery-electric refuse truck at the 2017 ACT Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center.

BYD’s truck is the first heavy-duty refuse truck designed and built by an original equipment manufacturer and is 100 percent battery electric. Manufactured in Lancaster, California, the BYD refuse truck is compliant with FMVSS and CMVSS regulations

“BYD continues to lead the heavy-duty electric vehicle market with our advanced battery technology, and this new refuse truck is just the latest example of our vehicle solutions that can save fleet customers tens of thousands of dollars annually,” said Stella Li, President of BYD Motors. “BYD’s medium- and heavy-duty battery electric vehicles have a lower total cost of ownership and can be a one-for-one replacement with fossil fueled vehicles in fleet operations.”

BYD’s 10-ton payload refuse truck provides 76 miles of range with minimal battery degradation. The truck is a cab and chassis platform, which includes the batteries, high voltage control system, all-electric propulsion system, and electric power take off for powering the hydraulic system to operate the refuse truck bodies. This platform is designed to integrate with all of the major refuse truck body builders in North America, and can be configured as a side loader, automated side loader, front loader, rear loader, or roll off.

As the refuse truck was built by BYD in its entirety, as opposed to as a retrofit of a CNG or diesel truck, the entire system was designed with electric propulsion in mind. For operators, that translates to optimized efficiency, maintenance, and usability throughout its life.

BYD says that fleet managers can expect more than $13,000 of operational cost savings annually based on service routes of 60 miles per day/five days a week.

The savings are due to high-efficiency electric motors and motor controls, as well as lower maintenance on propulsion systems, fewer fluids to change, less brake wear due to cutting-edge regenerative braking technology, and fewer moving parts.

The BYD battery-electric refuse truck can charge at 40 kW, 80 kW, 100 kW, or 200 kW rates, requiring between one and five hours to charge depending on the power interface used. BYD’s refuse truck battery technology allows for a projected 80 percent capacity after 5,000 cycles or 14 years, if charged every day.

BYD designs their vehicles to fit in seamlessly to any fleet with an advanced vehicle-to-grid system allowing the vehicle to deliver power back to the grid, to a load, or to another vehicle without any disruptions.

BYD employs more than 600 skilled workers at its manufacturing facility in Lancaster.

BYD and Berkshire Hathaway

In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million is now worth roughly $1.77 billion.

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.